In the field of migration policy, it has become evident that subnational polities are important since they actually deal with local policy efforts in relation to the reception and inclusion of immigrants. In this contribution we draw from previous efforts within this field and outline a theoretical framework for how local migration policy can be considered. This encompasses both the formal jurisdiction in which governance of migration policy is commonly decentralized to local entities as well as how the enactment of policy relating to immigrants and refugees will arrive at the desks of public officials and politicians in local societies. In terms of capturing the influence of structural preconditions, reviews have shown how theories of resources, ethnicity, and politics can be utilized at the local level and how relations emerge between different actors and levels in the political system. This model can be enhanced through a fuller description of how governance has come to involve different administrative levels and different public actors that are related through network-like structures. We see, together with others advantages of employing theories of multilevel governance for the understanding of local migration and integration policy. Such a theoretical framework will also make it possible to identify the different layers of political power and roles in decision-making processes. This can be understood both vertically, that is, how power is shared between different theoretical levels, as well as horizontally between different actors participating in ruling networks or within organizations, for example, the struggle between politicians and public officials. The development of this framework will enable future empirical endeavors with increased clarity and nuance.